A Smoggy Situation

While visiting one of the world’s most populated regions, I became intrigued by a situation that once felt normal, because I spent the first 9 years of my life in Lahore. Air pollution was always a byproduct of the summer simmering into cooler temperatures, however, it was never as bad as I had just witnessed it. Even if you compare two of New York Times reports of 2024 that were published back to back, there’s no denying the extreme rise in pollution this time around. As of early 2026, cities frequently reporting top most hazardous, Air Quality Index (AQI) levels which were often exceeding 300+ include Delhi, India, and yes, Lahore, Pakistan. Visibility kept falling and schools were getting cancelled despite examinations week. When I would step out, my eyes would burn, but Lahore was on a roll. It was holiday season and a swath of cars would fill all the main commutes of DHA and Gulberg. It’s also said that car registrations in the country, peaked over 6 million last December 2025.

I grew curious about the root of the issue and reached out to the Urban Unit Government of Punjab. This organization had published substantial findings. Though, the most interesting discovery I came across was that 83.15% of the air pollution is caused by transportation. As the number of registered vehicles climbs rapidly, the environment in Punjab grows more vulnerable. In fact, there has been a significant growth in specifically “two-stroke vehicles such as motorbikes, scooters, and rickshaws.” (Sectoral Emissions inventory of Lahore). The total number of vehicles registered in Lahore, Pakistan has grown from 2.3 million in 2011 to 6.29 million in 2021 according to the study performed by the Urban Unit.

For my AP Research project, I am experimenting with a variety of fuels through a 2-stroke engine to observe byproduct emissions. Lahore’s air pollution and worsening environmental conditions influenced the objective for my study, as my goal is to closely replicate Punjab’s air quality on a smaller scale in a secure, controlled environment with a 2-stroke internal combustion engine. My main goal is to find an alternative fuel for smaller combustion engines such as the ones present in motorcycles in Lahore by the end of my study.

“Sectoral Emissions inventory of Lahore“, The Urban Unit
“Record Air Pollution Hospitalizes Hundreds in Pakistani City“, New York Times
“Bad Air Chokes the Life Out of a Vibrant Pakistani City“, The Straits Times